Independent Banker - December 2023 - 5

FLOURISH
" The community bank model is
steeped in the assurance that no
matter the issues or opportunities
that arise with the customers and
communities we serve, we can help. "
Rebeca Romero Rainey
President and CEO, ICBA
he 2024 ICBA LIVE theme
is " Here for Good, " and I am
struck by how much that message
resonates in all we do. Community
bankers live this idea every day,
because doing the right thing simply
aligns with who we are.
When we think about what
differentiates us from the Silicon
Valley Banks of the world, it comes
back to the fact that we live by
a long-term value proposition
and perspective that we're here
for customers in both good and
challenging times. That commitment
requires continual action and
engagement to better know our
customers and anticipate their
needs. The community bank model
is steeped in the assurance that no
matter the issues or opportunities
that arise with the customers and
communities we serve, we can help.
But we don't do it alone. It takes
an ecosystem to ensure our success.
For instance:
1. We engage technology partners
who share our values and help
us find and leverage solutions to
be here for good. Programs like
ICBA's ThinkTECH Accelerator
enable us to evolve and meet the
unique needs of the customers and
T
communities we're serving.
2. We meet with regulators to
offer first-hand knowledge of our
depositors and their needs over time;
our engagement and communication
with them is about sharing how we
do what we do for the right reasons.
3. Our employees work tirelessly
to elevate the role of the community
bank and become extended family
to our teams and our customers,
making a difference every day in
our communities.
And our neighbors step up to join
us for outreach efforts and ask us
to serve on committees or boards,
because together, we want to ensure
the place we all call home continues
to flourish for future generations.
In short, it takes a collective
responsibility and effort to ensure
that we're here for good. And that
work is paying off.
I recently received an update on
consumer research we're collecting to
measure the impact of our national
campaign, and hearing what people
around the country are saying
about community banks was deeply
inspiring. They frequently mentioned
phrases like " family " and " trust "
in describing community banking,
validating the profound effects that
occur when community banks are
invested in their communities.
So, as we close out the year, I want
to thank you for always being here
for good and creating an industry
that we can all be so proud of and
one I'm honored to represent. I hope
you make the time to celebrate your
successes with family and friends, and
from the ICBA team, we wish you a
wonderful holiday season!
Connect with Rebeca @romerorainey
Where I'll be this month
I'll be heading to our Sauk Centre office for holiday festivities,
attending TCM and ICBA Payments Board Meetings, and in
the ICBA offices planning for the coming year and thanking
our team for consistently being here for good.
independentbanker.org // 5
Photo by Chris Williams
http://www.independentbanker.org
Independent Banker - December 2023

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